Miles in the Sky
Miles in the Sky | ||||
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Studio album by Miles Davis | ||||
Released | July 22, 1968 | |||
Recorded | January 16 and May 15–17, 1968 | |||
Studio | Columbia 52nd Street (New York City) | |||
Genre |
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Length | 50:56 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Teo Macero | |||
Miles Davis chronology | ||||
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Miles in the Sky is a studio album by the jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis. It was released on July 22, 1968, through Columbia Records.[2] It was the last full album recorded by Davis' "Second Great Quintet" and marked the beginning of his foray into jazz fusion, with Herbie Hancock playing electric piano and Ron Carter playing electric bass guitar on opening track “Stuff”. Additionally, electric guitarist George Benson features on “Paraphernalia”.[3]
Background
Miles in the Sky was produced by Teo Macero and recorded at Columbia Studio B in New York City on January 16, 1968, and May 15–17, 1968.[4] The album's title was a nod to the Beatles' 1967 song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".[2] This is the final appearance of tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams together on a full-length studio album in Davis’ discography.[4]
Composition
For Miles in the Sky, Davis and his quintet pulled further away from conventional jazz and more toward jazz-rock fusion. The album's compositions are extended and groove-oriented, often with rhythms that, according to Stephen Thomas Erlewine, "are straightforward, picking up on the direct 4/4 beats of rock, and these are illuminated by Herbie Hancock's electric piano".[3] In the opinion of All About Jazz's C. Michael Bailey, Miles in the Sky was one of six albums by Davis' quintet between 1965 and 1968 that introduced the poorly-defined jazz subgenre post-bop.[5]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Down Beat | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sputnikmusic | 4/5[9] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | B+[11] |
In a contemporary review, Down Beat magazine called Miles in the Sky one of the best albums by Davis and his second quintet because of how it shows he had been influenced by Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane: "even as Miles denies it, for their assault on the popular song has pushed Miles along the only path that seems open to him, an increasingly ironic detachment from sentiment and prettiness".[4]
In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Erlewine found it less adventurous than Nefertiti (1968): "Intriguing, successful jams in many respects, but ... this is less visionary than its predecessor and feels like a transitional album – and, like many transitional albums, it's intriguing and frustrating in equal measures."[3] Hernan M. Campbell of Sputnikmusic was more enthusiastic and praised the musicianship throughout, particularly that of Williams, whose drumming he found "mind-blowing". Campbell felt that Miles in the Sky should not be overlooked because it marked the beginning of Davis' electric period and was one of the defining jazz fusion albums.[9]
Track listing
Columbia – CS 9628[12]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording session[13] | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Stuff" | Miles Davis | May 17, 1968 | 17:00 |
2. | "Paraphernalia" | Wayne Shorter | January 16, 1968 | 12:38 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording session[13] | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
3. | "Black Comedy" | Tony Williams | May 16, 1968 | 7:26 |
4. | "Country Son" | Miles Davis | May 15, 1968 | 13:52 |
Total length: | 50:56 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording session[13] | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
5. | "Black Comedy" (Alternate Take) | Tony Williams | May 16, 1968 | 6:23 |
6. | "Country Son" (Alternate Take) | Miles Davis | May 15, 1968 | 14:38 |
Total length: | 1:11:57 |
Personnel
- Miles Davis – trumpet, cornet on "Stuff" and "Country Son"
- Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone
- Herbie Hancock – piano, electric piano on "Stuff"
- Ron Carter – bass, electric bass on "Stuff"
- Tony Williams – drums
- George Benson – electric guitar on "Paraphernalia"
References
- ^ Fordham, John (August 1, 2019). "Miles Davis's 20 greatest albums – ranked!". TheGuardian.com.
- ^ a b "Miles Davis: Miles in the Sky". Sony Music Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Miles in the Sky – Miles Davis". Allmusic. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Miles Davis – Miles in the Sky CD Album". CD Universe. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ Bailey, C. Michael (April 11, 2008). "Miles Davis, Miles Smiles, and the Invention of Post Bop". All About Jazz. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (July 22, 2004). "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide". Simon and Schuster – via Google Books.
- ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 58. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
- ^ a b Campbell, Hernan M. (March 8, 2012). "Review: Miles Davis – Miles In The Sky". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 346. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
- ^ Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Grade List: Miles Davis". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
- ^ "Miles Davis – Miles in the Sky". Discogs. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Miles Davis – Miles in the Sky". Milesdavis.com. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
- ^ "Miles Davis – Miles in the Sky (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
External links
- Miles in the Sky at Discogs (list of releases)
- v
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recordings
- Birdland 1951
- Miles Davis at Newport 1955–1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4
- Miles & Coltrane
- Miles Davis Quintet at Peacock Alley
- Amsterdam Concert
- At Newport 1958
- Miles & Monk at Newport
- Jazz at the Plaza Vol. I
- Miles Davis & John Coltrane The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6
- In Person: At the Blackhawk, San Francisco
- Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall
- Miles Davis in Europe
- Live at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival
- My Funny Valentine
- Four & More
- Miles in Tokyo
- Miles in Berlin
- The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965
- Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1
- 1969 Miles – Festiva De Juan Pins
- Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2
- Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It's About That Time
- Bitches Brew Live
- Black Beauty: Miles Davis at Fillmore West
- Miles Davis at Fillmore
- Miles at the Fillmore – Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3
- The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
- Live-Evil
- In Concert
- Dark Magus
- Agharta
- Pangaea
- Miles! Miles! Miles!
- We Want Miles
- Live Around the World
- Merci Miles! Live at Vienne
- Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux
- Miles Davis and Horns
- Blue Haze
- Birth of the Cool
- Walkin'
- Miles Davis Volume 1
- Miles Davis Volume 2
- Miles Davis' Greatest Hits
- Basic Miles: The Classic Performances of Miles Davis
- Big Fun
- Get Up with It
- Water Babies
- Circle in the Round
- 1958 Miles
- Directions
- The Columbia Years 1955–1985
- Love Songs
- Super Hits
- The Essential Miles Davis
- Miles Davis Quintet: Freedom Jazz Dance: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5
- That’s What Happened 1982-1985: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7
- The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis with John Coltrane
- Miles Davis & Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings
- Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis 1963–1964
- The Complete Studio Recordings of The Miles Davis Quintet 1965–1968
- The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions
- The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions
- The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions
- The Complete On the Corner Sessions
- In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk, Complete
- The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965
- The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux
- The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
- Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection
- The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions
- Chronicle: The Complete Prestige Recordings 1951–1956
- Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969–1974
- Panthalassa: The Remixes
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- "Milestones"
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- "Seven Steps to Heaven"
- "So What"
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- Miles: The Autobiography
- Miles! The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux DVD Collection
- That's What Happened: Live in Germany 1987
- Live in Munich (1988)
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- Miles Ahead (2015 movie)
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